Program Description

The game design and simulation program will allow students to take their passion for playing games and shape it into the development of games. Upon completion, students will have experienced all aspects of the game design process from concept to completion. They will have studied the function of games and game play, developed interactive projects that address the technical challenges of a game's production. Students will gain valuable experience walking an original game idea through every phase of development, with a completed and playable game at the end of the program to show for it.

The degree and certificate programs are based on two areas of specialization: artist/designer and programmer/developer. Game artists and designers will learn what it takes to create the "who, what, where, and why" behind the stories, characters, artwork, and gameplay needed for great game design. Utilizing industry standard software, artists and designers will also create the assets, characters, and environments called for in their original game idea.

Game programmers and developers will learn what it takes to make the game world and gameplay work properly. They determine the "how," aligning the technical side of gaming with the designer's vision. This includes programming characters, actions and triggered events to how the artificial intelligence runs in the game. Students pursuing game development will graduate with a solid background in programming using C++ and the knowledge of manipulating game engines and level editors.